JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. –
Many, many years ago, Florence Nightingale lamented that "the very first requirement in a hospital is that it should do the sick no harm".
In the Air Force Medical Service, we provide Trusted Care Anywhere, whether on the battlefield or at home station, we strive to provide quality safe patient care. Moreover, our ultimate goal is to consistently deliver high levels of safe and quality patient care. Strong leadership commitment, good communication, multidisciplinary teamwork, engaging our frontline staff in creating viable solutions through process improvement initiatives is the culture change that is required to drive our hospitals and clinics to "Zero Harm" for our patients.
One of the ways we can start this required shift in our culture is participating in this year's National Patient Safety Awareness Week, March 8-12, 2015. It is an annual event focused on education and building awareness for improving healthcare safety. Through patient engagement and emphasizing the importance of relationships between providers and patients and their families, we make Patient Safety our focus 24 hours a day; seven days a week; 365 days a year!
Delivering safety patient care is the responsibility of everyone on the healthcare team. Hence this year's theme "UNITED in SAFETY"! If we all work together, we can make a difference!